Law enforcement officials at a press conference on Thursday, June 26, 2014 at Exposition Park in Los Angeles announcing 275 arrests of sexual predators arising out of the interdepartmental police initiative Operation Brokenheart. (Photo by Beatriz Valenzuela)

LOS ANGELES >> Luis Urena said he had a rude awakening when he learned someone he suspected was an adult was bothering his then 11-year-old son.

“I found out this guy was texting him at all hours of the day and night,” said the Los Angeles father of two. “He was sending him messages during school hours, so I don’t think he was a student or someone my son’s age. It really opened my eyes to how vulnerable children can be when they go online.”

Urena’s son met the unidentified person while playing Call of Duty online. The other player struck up a conversation with the boy and asked for his cell phone number.

“It’s just so easy for a kid to just give out that information,” said Urena, who was eventually tipped off to the communications by his cellphone provider, Verizon Wireless.

Urena recalled the ordeal Thursday at Exposition Park in Los Angeles as authorities from various law enforcement agencies held a press conference announcing the arrests of 275 reported child predators last month through a multi-agency collaboration, Operation Brokenheart.

“Parents need to monitor their kids and supervise them,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations housed in Long Beach. “You wouldn’t let your kids walk down a dark alley at night, but this is the cyber equivalent of doing just that.”

Parents need to change their way of thinking and realize that the danger isn’t just in chat rooms or on social media, said Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

“It’s with anything they can use to connect to the Internet,” McDonnell said. “It’s PDAs, iPods, cellphones. It all needs to be monitored.”

Among those arrested was a teaching assistant who works with special needs children, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy, an attorney who reportedly believed he was going to meet with children who were 8 and 10, and a Los Angeles City Fire Department Explorer, officials said.

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Headed by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the operation in anticipation of Internet Safety Month, which kicked off this month.

Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department led Operation Brokenheart, which reached victims and predators in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Many of there arrests were a result of undercover operations as well as following up on tips, Arnold said.

McDonnell pointed out the connection he’s seen between Internet predators and human trafficking, noting that some of the victims rescued by Long Beach Police investigators have indicated they first made contact with their abusers online.

“It’s a horrible thing these children have to endure and we need to do what we can to prevent that,” McDonnell said.

Education was a major component of the operation, said Arnold, explaining that LAICAC conducted 19 Internet safety presentations last month that reached about 600 people.

“Education is key,” said Arnold. “A lot of times our kids are lot more tech-savvy than we are.”

Urena said the experience two years ago has led to open conversations with his children about online safety.

“It’s good they’re doing this, but it’s our responsibility as parents to talk to our children about the Internet,” Ureña said.

Anyone who would like to report inappropriate material or attempts to contact children through the Internet can do so by calling the CyberTip hotline at 800-843-5678 or by visiting www.cybertipline.com.